Popular eagle pair now nesting two eggs

November 21, 2013

Ozzie and Harriet, the bald eagle pair that has been coming to North Fort Myers to winter and mate for several years in a nest on the Pritchett Farm property off Bayshore Road, are incubating two eggs, both of which, assuming they are viable, are expected to hatch just before Christmas.

The news was posted on Facebook, with eagle lovers expressing their best wishes, as well as some interesting eagle facts, such as one what said the young eagle's heart begins to beat around 72 hours after the start of incubation, which means the first egg had a heartbeat about the time the second egg was laid.

This has meant more action for the Eagle Cam, which has doubled in viewership, according to Andrew Pritchett at Pritchett Real Estate, the company that is providing all the action.

"We're averaging about 1,500 viewers at any one moment. The excitement is back in the air about the two eggs. There's more conversation. The Facebook page has spiked in volume. We're on our way to 30,000 followers," Pritchett said. "It gives them something to watch and those who didn't watch last year can experience it this year."

Harriet laid her second egg Wednesday at 6:18 p.m. after laying her first egg late Sunday afternoon. She was seen rolling her eggs just after midnight, all of which was seen on the Pritchett Eagle Cam, which has observed their every move while in the nest.

A second camera has been placed about 30 yards to the north of the nest in another tree so people can see how the eagles interact with nature.

So far, the camera has had around 300,000 views. It is not infrared, so it is only useful in the daytime.

The camera will be able to pan, zoom and show different views, including in the pond about 100 yards from the nest.

It has served its purpose as it has shown both eagles perched on trees nearby hunting for food.

Once the eggs hatch and the eaglets get bigger, it will become a more useful tool to catch the action around the nest, especially as the birds get ready to fledge in early spring, Pritchett said.

"We wanted to show the eagles when not in the nest and have had great feedback concerning the different view," Pritchett said. "You can't see into the nest, but once the hatchlings learn to fly, it will be a lot of activity around the nest and will add value when they practice how to fly."

Pritchett said they have hosted four classrooms on the chat, and have had teachers schedule chats with the teachers.

"We had a teacher call from Georgia and they were having an environmental week and wanted to study the eagle for a couple days," Pritchett said. "They got to check them out in their natural habitat."